Review of MEMS-based programmable gratings: Part II

In the last two decades, Microelectromechanical System (MEMS) that is considered as an enabling technology achieves prominent development and great economical success in almost all the engineering and industrial fields, such as mechanical, optical, radio frequency (RF), power, biological, etc. Optical MEMS endows optical devices with the advantages of smaller volume, lighter weight, better performances, lower cost and power consumption. And it makes the key structures of these devices dynamically controllable by exterior forces, which is almost impossible for traditional technologies. As a series of the previously reported paper, this one focuses on the state of the art in the fields of MEMS-based programmable gratings from other research institutions all over the world. Structural characteristics, manufacturing processes and potential applications of these microgratings are described in detail. Finally, the development trend of MEMS-based programmable gratings is also discussed.